Dishwashing machine



H. R.V SKINNER nIsHwAsHING MACHINE Filed Novfa, 19:59

Patented Nov. 11,l 194i schim. icl. ess- 134) This invention relates to dish washing machines and has particular relation to a mechanically agitated type oi dishwashing machine. There are, of course, a large number of dif ferent types of dish washing. machines on the market. These machines yvary in principle from simply spraying hot water over'dirty dishes to I' immersing them in a tub of water and then violently agitating the water.

Most of the latter type of devices are quite complicated in structure, and are more or less 'expensive to build. Mcst of them require both l an inner and outer tub. Some of the structures yare not only very difficult but almost impossible to keep clean and sanitary, since thorough cleaning requires practically the entire disassembly of the machine.

I believe there is a distinct need for a machine which will overcome a number of these diiliculties of theprior art and accordingly it is one oi the primary objects of my invention to provide a simple mechanically agitated type oi?l dish washing machine in which only a single outer tub need beused.' i

It is a further object of my invention to proviole such a machine in' which a 'simple mechanism serves to violently agitata the'wash water to quickly and eiiiciently wash dishes or silver- Ware and the like.

, It is a still further object of my invention to provide a simple type of impeller or agitator which may be linexpensively stamped from a single piece of material.

Other and further features and objects of the invention will be more apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration oi the accompanying drawing land following specication, wherein is `disclosed an exemplary embodiment oi the invention, with the understanding, howy ever, that such changesv may be made therein as fall within the scope of the' appended claims,

. without departing from the spirit 'of the invention.

In said drawing: i

Figure lis ai view in perspective illustrating a device constructed in accordance with one embodiment of my invention as it appears from I, outside.

Figure 2 is an elevational view, partly in aection, oi the device shown in Figure l and showing the working, parte el!l the structure.

Figure 3 is a partial view in perspective showing, in particular, the means for supporting dishes in the washing machine, and

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of an impeller or agitator as constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of my invention.

-Reierring now, more particularly to Figures 1 5 and 3 in practicing my invention, a tub Ill pref erably round in shape is supported, in accordance with theusual practice, by legs II which may be riveted or otherwise fastened to the bottomoi' the tub. The legs may be tied together 1o at their lower ends by straps or cross bars I2 to prevent spreading. The tub has a cover I3 to prevent splashing. An electric motor I4 is supported from ythe under side of the tub and serves to drive an impeller, indicated generally at I6 in Figure v3, within the tub and near the bottom thereof through mechanism which will be described more in detail hereinafter.

The electric motor Il isipreferably of the vertical mounting type supported-by ya bracket I1 from the under side of the tub by bolts or rivets indlcatedat I8. This mounting bracket I1 may be formed out of a ilat plate bent to a U-shape having av plurality of holes I9 `in the horizontal portion through which bolts 20 may he inserted 2.5 to secure the end bell of the motor to the plate.

It is preferable that these holes i9 be madel slotted to permit the motor to be shifted and the belt 24 to be thus tightened when necessary.

`An opening is of course provided at 2| inthis horizontal portion of the plate through which the shaft Ha of the motory may extend. The side or vertical legs I'laof the supporting brackets are bent over at their upper ends a'nd pr'ovided with holes through which the bolts or rivets I8 may be installed to secure the brackets to the under side of the tub.

' A small pulley 22 on the motor shaft serves to drive a larger pulley 23 through the agency ot a V belt 2|. The large pulley 23 is xedly 40 attached tov a vertically positioned rotatable impeller shaft .26. This vertical shaft is mounted for rotation in a bearing and sealing gland, indicated generally at 2l. and lhas the lmpeller or agitator mounted upon its upper enel. It is ob- 45 vious that the 'vertical shaft and imperial should be mounted centrally or the bottom of the tub.

The bearing and sealing or packing gland 2li' preferably includes an upper bea member 28 generally in the shape of a washer. This member has an opening or hearing surface it extending through its center adapted to receive the vertical impeller shaft tit. This upper bearing is secured to the upper surface of the bottom ci the tub by bolts ti extending lthrough aligned holes in the Washer and the hottomof the tub. These bolts also extend through a flange 32 of the sealing glandk housing or sleeve 33. This sleeve is bored out or recessed, as at 34 concentric with the vertical agitator or impeller shaft 26. A packing material preferably of the self lubricating type such as a graphite rope packing is disposed within this recess and this packing is compressed and held in place around the Vertical shaft by means of an adjustable sealing nut 3E threadedly received within the lower end of the sleeve 33. The packing nut 36 is preferably of bronze so as to serve not only as a packing nut but also as a lower bearing for the agitator shaft.

A cylindrical block 37 is adapted to be received upon the agitator shaft within the tub and to be held in place on that shaft by means of a set screw (not shown). The lower surface of the block 3'1 acts as a thrust washer to bear against the upper surface of the upper bearing 29. The agitator shaft 26 is of sufficient length to extend a. slight distance above the attachment block 3l.

The agitator or impeller l is provided with a centering hole 38 to be received over the upwardly extending end of the impeller shaft and for the purpose of accurately centering the impeller so as to eliminate vibration due to any unbalance of the agitator, The agitator is then securely attached to the block 31 by means of cap screws 39 installed through holes M and aligned threaded openings 42 in the attachment block 37.

The impeller or agitator is preferably of a form similar to that shown in Figure .4. This at 45. Each blade or vane is notched at its inner end, as at 46, to permit the forward portion ,45 of each vane to be bent downwardly at an angle to the rib and to the central portion of the plate 43. This bent portion 45 of the impeller blade serves to pick up wash water dropping down through the center of the tub vand over the edges of the central portion 43 and throw itviolently upwardly and outwardly, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2.

In order to direct the greater portion of the Wash water upwardly rather than laterally, as would be done with a radially, extending impeller blade, each blade is slightly hooked at 4its outer end and in a forwardly extending direction as shown at 4l. The impeller is intended to be rotated in a counterclockwise manner as viewed from above and as indicated by the arrow at 49 in Figure 4. lThe forwardly hooked outer ends of the impeller blade tend to counteract the ing ribs 52 secured by welding or other means to ring-like members 53 to form the bottom of the basket. The outer ends of the ribs 52 are bent up to form the sides of the basket and are secured to other ring members V54. Three or more of the ribs 52 are provided with downwardly extending foot members 56 to space the bottom of the basket from the bottom of the tub to provide space for the impeller. A number of U- shaped, upwardly extending brackets 5l are secured to the bottom ring members 53 to act as supports and spacers for plates and the like to permit water to freely pass upwardly between the dishes.

Silverware is preferably placed in a smaller basket of wire mesh and may be placed either in the bottom of the main basket or may be placed on top of a pile of dishes.

In order to facilitate emptying dirty wash water, a drain 5d is mounted in the bottom of the tub and closed by a gate valve 6i which, if desired, may be permanently connected to the building drainage system.

it is, oi course, apparent that clean wash water may be placed in the' tub by hand or may be run into the tub through a permanent connection similar to the drainage connection. Such a water supply connection may be permanently connected to the building hot water supply system. Such connections for draining and filling would make for convenience and ease of operation.

Although I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, it is apparent that modications of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art. It is apparent that the tub i0 may be made substantially square in shape if desired, and also that the agitating structure may be incorporated into a vdeep kitchen sink adapted to be mounted upon the wall or even supported in a square type door cabinet so as. to completely conceal all working parts. Such modications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a dish washing machine, an agitator comprising a main body portion in the form of a flat plate, ribs comprising part of the main body portion and extending substantially radially therefrom, agitator vanes comprising an extension of the leading edge of each rib bent to extend downwardly and forwardly from each of said ribs, the outer end of each rib and agitator vane hooked forwardly in the direction of rotation so as to decrease the tendency of the vanes to throw wash water on on a tangent to agitator, while increasing the tendency to move the wash water upwardly, a rotating shaft, and means for aligning the agitator with and fastening it to the shaft.

2. In a dish washing machine, an impeller adapted to be produced by punching in one piece from plate material, said impeller comprising a substantially circular main body portion, a plurality of ribs comprising extensions of the main body portion and extending in substantially radial directions therefrom, and agitator vanes comprising forward extensions of the leading edges Y of the ribs, said agitator vanes being bent downwardly away from the plane of the main body portion so as to scoop wash water upwardly when the impeller is rotated, the outer end of each` agitator vane being hooked forwardly in the direction of rotation so as to decrease the tendency of the vanes to throw wash Water on a tangent and to increase the tendency to move water upwardly near the outer ends of the vanes.

HOWARD R. SKINNER.` 

